Junior League Baseball: Killingly wins sectional

MATT HAWKINS

Friday

Jul 31, 2009 at 12:01 AMJul 31, 2009 at 8:07 AM

PLAINFIELD — Killingly manager Kevin Cahill should be used to getting ice baths from his 13-14-year-old All-Stars, but to him, it’s a sensation that never gets old. Thursday at the Moosup Little League Complex in Plainfield, Cahill received another one, this time in celebration of his team’s 11-4 win over Ellington in the Junior League Section II title game, earning them a trip to Bridgeport.

“I gotta tell you,” said a water logged Cahill. “It’s a feeling that never gets old.”

PLAINFIELD — Killingly manager Kevin Cahill should be used to getting ice baths from his 13-14-year-old All-Stars, but to him, it’s a sensation that never gets old. Thursday at the Moosup Little League Complex in Plainfield, Cahill received another one, this time in celebration of his team’s 11-4 win over Ellington in the Junior League Section II title game, earning them a trip to Bridgeport.

“I gotta tell you,” said a water logged Cahill. “It’s a feeling that never gets old.”

Something else that never gets old for Cahill is the sight of Tyler Stucke doing what he does on a seemingly regular basis. Stucke went 3-for-4 at the plate, just a single short of hitting for the cycle. But, it’s also what he does in the field that makes just as big of a difference in the game. Balls destined for right and left center field gaps were repeatedly run down by the young center fielder.

“What some people, and other teams don’t know about Tyler until they see him play, is what he can do with his speed.” Cahill said. “He races down every ball in the outfield. The other day he got thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double. I told him that he’s not one of those guys that need to take chances like that. Any single he hits is a triple anyway because his speed will get him to third eventually.”

Ellington struck first off Killingly starter Kevin Ravenelle. Ellington’s Neal Janiga drew a leadoff walk, stole second and then came around on a Justin Oliver single to center. Two batters later, Kasey Pekala plated Oliver with a single and Jesse Crocker, who had reached earlier on an error, giving Ellington the early lead, 2-0.

That lead would be short lived, as Killingly responded in the top half of the third frame. Stucke took a fastball from the Ellington lefty, Janiga, and put it into the bushes just beyond the left field fence for a home run. Ravenelle followed with a walk, but was thrown out when Ryan Cahill’s groundball to short was bobbled, and he was tagged out having strayed too far off the bag. Cahill would then advance to second on a passed ball. Ben Rumrill came through, singling to center to score Cahill with the tying run.

“I’m used to hitting in those situations,” Rumrill said. “It’s not really something that bothers me too much. It doesn’t really make me nervous ever.”

Killingly exploded in the fifth as Ravenelle got things started with a single, followed by a Cahill walk. Andrew Brazee lined a single to center, scoring Ravenelle. That was followed by a Rumrill double to right field, which plated Cahill and Brazee. One pitch later Matt Bulmer singled followed by Nick Gion’s single. Jacob Darveau grounded out to second, which plated another Killingly run. Heyden Breault placed a perfect bunt single up the third base line, scoring Bulmer, which brought Stucke up to finish off the scoring with an RBI double to right field.

“I don’t really walk a lot,” Stucke said. “I knew the home run was gone right when I hit it. And after I hit the double, I knew all I had left to do was hit a single for the cycle. It would have been nice. It’s not something I’ve ever done before.”

Ravenelle would keep the Ellington hitters off balance after his first inning troubles. Ellington touched him for two more runs in the home half of the fifth inning, but they would not score again.

“Ryan (Cahill) and I had a talk about what to do with the middle of their lineup,” Ravenelle said. “They can hit. We decided to jam them, and if there was a base open, don’t be afraid to walk them. It wasn’t all me though. The defense really backed me up, they were outstanding.”

Killingly scored three more runs in the seventh, all but putting the game away. Bulmer singled to left, Riley Donlon walked. Ravenelle then singled to right, plating Bulmer, while Cahill followed with a two-out, two-run double down the right field line.

“We overheard some their fans after (Wednesday’s) game, saying they had this thing in the bag,” said the elder Cahill. “I thought that we could use that (Thursday), and we did. We used it as motivation. It was good bulletin board material.”

Apparently it worked.

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